Pupils can join gardening competition

Green-fingered Monklands school pupils are invited to take part in a nationwide contest run by environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful.

The organisation’s sixth annual Pocket Garden Design Competition sees children from as young as three being challenged to design a “colourful and sustainable garden”that could feature at the Scottish Gardens Show at Scone Palace in late May, if coronavirus restrictions allow, and, if not, in an interactive online garden showcase.

Following the great success of Pocket Gardens in past years, schools from across Airdrie and Coatbridge are being encouraged to take part and develop designs for a tiny garden which reflects the four interlinked 2021 themes.

These themes include The Year of Coasts and Waters; One Planet Picnic; Wildlife Gardening; and Health and Wellbeing through noticing nature.

Eve Keepax, education and learning officer at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said:“it’s a great competition with new opportunities. This year, an Activities at Home sheet is available to inspire children to get involved while learning at home.

“We are excited to work with Scotland’s brand-new national gardening event, The Scottish Gardens Show at Scone Palace, to celebrate and share the innovation and creativity of Scotland’s young garden designers.

“This competition over the years has inspired entries from across the country and we hope that, in 2021, it gives parents and educators a new focus as we continue a blended mix of home and in-school learning.”

Brian Cunningham, head gardener at Scone Palace, added:“i’m looking forward to the inspiration and fun the children and young people will bring to the show.”

Pupils are invited to submit their entries no later than March 17 to oneplanetpicnic@ keepscotlandbeautiful.org; further information and inspiration from past years can be found at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/

Airdrie MP Neil Gray has welcomed further funding from the Scottish Government for people in the creative industries hit hard by the pandemic.

Creative freelancers and the events sector will benefit from an additional £17.5m to help alleviate the devastation that the industry has suffered due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The events sector will be able to apply for a share of £8.5 million through the pivotal event businesses fund and the events industry support fund two.

And the targeted support and creative freelancers hardship fund will support individuals by processing applications for the remaining £9 million.

Mr Gray said: “The Scottish Government has recognised the extreme hardship the creative sector has had to endure, and this funding will go some way to help artists and events companies in my constituency keep going.

“I will wait to see if the Chancellor will follow this lead when he announces his upcoming Budget as creative people in the rest of the UK have suffered unbelievably with the bare minimum of government support.”

A mental health app saw a huge spike in bookings during January as Monklands returned to lockdown.

Bookings of therapy-in-anhour app My Pocket Therapist were up more than 300 per cent last month, with people needing immediate help for lockdown and Covid-related anxiety.

The device, the UK’S first psychotherapy app, was launched last year by Daniel Solden after he was furloughed by his employer and then made redundant.

He said: “The app vastly reduces waiting times and serves as a vital lifeline. It has been designed to help people access mental health services when they need them most, and as quickly as possible.

“It’s convenient and anyone can use the service from their own home or phone. During lockdown, many people are working alone and are not able to physically access any of their normal services.”

To download My Pocket Therapist, visit the Apple App Store.